Hi, My name is _____....and I blog

I have purposely not posted anything for a few days as I was becoming concerned at how much time this whole blogging thing is taking up! Let's just say there are things around the house that really need to be addressed and I find myself blogging instead of addressing them.

Which has made me analyze some as to why people blog or read blogs.
I know for me it has been a way to get my feelings and thots out and be heard. It has also been a way of "connecting" with a community...in a sort of "sterile" way but still a connection is it not?

So, I want to keep that connection but keep the balance of a clean house, physical exercise, Bible study and prayer, ministry, and time for face to face, or at least voice to voice interaction.
I have devised a little test to determine if blogging is enhancing or consuming our lives:

1. The first thing I do when I arrive home is check the puter for comments on my blog
or check in on my favorite blogs to see if they have any new posts.

2. I blog or read other blogs late at night when I should be sleeping

3. I blog or read other blogs instead of preparing meals or doing basic cleaning

4. The subject that I blog tends to come up in most casual or even some business conversations.

5. I substitute writing or reading blogs for real human interaction most of the time.

6. I spend more time writing or reading blogs than I do in devotions each week.

7. I become frustrated when other blogs I know have more comments than mine.

I would say if we can say yes to TWO or more of these statements that we might want to re evaluate time given to blogging.


Do you disagree; do you think there are other questions we could add to the list?
What do you neglect so you can blog? At what point would it be defined as an "addiction"?

A new "understanding"

They came and cleaned our carpets yesterday. It had been a long time since we had the upstairs done, and I can't believe how clean they got everything...even old stains I had given up on including some red fingernail polish one of the girls dropped right in front of the guest sink of course. It is nice to look down at clean, fresh pile under my "standing".

I like to get carpets cleaned in the fall because if I am going to be inside a lot I want the carpets and windows to be clean. Didn't get to the windows this year but they look pretty good for some reason and I have had more pressing matters.

I feel like I am in a warp of pressing matters and wonder if this is how life is going to be , but then I think of all the things that have happened this year, wedding, funeral, birth, church crisis....I have a different idea of what normal should be.

We taught our 3rd ESL class last night. Every class our attendance has doubled, we are up to 8 now and 4 helpers. Yesterday it was the last and best part of a day that began at 5:30 am and ended about 10:30pm I wish I could get paid to do that instead of what I do. Maybe it is just because it is different? What would you like to get paid to do?

Tackyween

If I had awakened from a coma I could swear it was mid November if I went only by the weather. I am wondering what kind of winter we are going to have...maybe lots of snow judging from all this early rain and such a cool summer? What do you think?

I saw the first "Tackyween" blow ups today in a yard.

Guess you know what I think by the name but perhaps some of you find them cute and fun? I have never heard what kids think....maybe they really like them.

I could bear Halloween if they would not make them for Christmas, that's when I start having visions of me and a pellet gun at 2 am.....sorry but how many more ways can we commercialize Christmas....I love the lights and "tasteful" decorations but we have hit a new low the last few years...Lord deliver us from plastic blowups!!! I was surprised to see that many of these cost between $75 and $100. Seems like the same money could buy something wonderful and more enduring....like a new lawn mower and some bark dust for some of these sleezy yards...but I digress.

Today the sun finally won and is shining on my potted plants outside the window...I really like the red streaked grass I potted, it will be nice to look at all winter when everything else is green on green and blossoms are something not seen til spring comes back.

How's your October going?